PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. I 1 1 



Like the quail, he makes in his flight a straightfor- 

 ward bee-line course, not to be mistaken ; and the gun 

 must be planted quickly and squarely upon him, and 

 must be a powerful shooter, or the sportsman will shoot 

 in vain. This noble bird should be called' the " Cock of 

 the Woods." He is wonderfully powerful on the wing, 

 knowing, wary, and ever on the alert. 



In different States, partridges differ in color and 

 size ; and the manner of hunting them is also varied. 

 In some parts of New England, in the rough, heavy- 

 timbered country, they take to the tree when flushed ; 

 and when the leaves are off, they can be killed with- 

 out much labor. In all sparsely wooded countries and 

 States, especially where the ground is level, they sel- 

 dom take to tree, but continue their flight with tremen- 

 dous velocity, dodging bushes and limbs of trees with 

 incredible dexterity, and always coming out safe and 

 sound from dense places through which it is often im- 

 possible for the hunter to look. 



They are usually found, in warm autumn mornings, 

 on the outskirts of wooded land lying open to the sun, 

 adjoining a wheat or corn field, where they feed much 

 like quail, retiring to the woods if disturbed. To- 

 wards the middle of the day, when it is warm, you will 

 be likely to find them in the woods, in low ground, 

 near some spring or small stream, where they drink, 

 and often eat the roots of vegetables growing in the 

 water. When a number of partridges are started, 

 they will almost always fly in the same direction. If 

 they are wild and will not lie to the dog, the hunter 

 who has company and is acquainted with the ground, 



